Why I Love Books with Smokin’ Hot Sex

Now, that said, do I love the sex scenes? Hell, yes, I do! Done right, those scenes are absolutely smoking and full of emotion—yes, I said EMOTION. Sex scenes in a romance novel aren’t like reading the assembly instructions for furniture, for chrissakes! (Making sure there was an ample amount of lubrication, he lined up Bolt A with Hole B and inserted it completely until the screwed Nuts at the other end were flush against the opening…)

The characters not only go through a myriad of physical sensations, but emotional ones as well: insecurity, fear, confidence, madness, frustration, elation, revelations, and so many more. And I’ve never read a sex scene that hasn’t altered—either for good or bad—the relationship in some way.

Let’s face it; a couple’s sexual relationship is a HUGE factor in their lives. You can be the Cleavers outside of the bedroom, but if you’re not compatible in the

bedroom, you’ll soon turn into the Clintons. And, unless you’ve taken a vow of lifelong abstinence, EVERYONE has sex. So why pretend like it doesn’t happen? Why gloss over what happens between a couple sexually? There are certainly plenty of romances that are of a lighter variety and keep the heated moments “behind closed doors” so to speak. But I hate not knowing what happens in those moments. Was it hot and heavy? Slow and easy? Two minutes or two hours? Did one of them hold back or was it no holds barred?

I once read an interview with my all-time favorite author, Gena Showalter. She told of an early experience she had at one of her book signings, where a woman walked up to the counter and commented with a look of disdain on her face that Gena’s books were those “trashy novels.” Gena’s great response was…

“What’s so trashy about love and monogamy?”

Indeed! Why are the books categorized as ROMANCE considered by a large majority of the public to be “trashy?” For that matter, why is pornographic material considered so taboo? Go into an adult book store (which, for the record, I’m not sure why the word “book” is in there, because I don’t believe I’ve ever actually seen any books in those stores) and the wide variety of items is insane. You can get something as innocently cheeky as penis- or boob-shaped pasta, to things you didn’t even have the imagination to conjure up as possibilities in the bedroom. But does that mean that any of it is wrong and shameful? No. It means that there’s a variety of things out there no matter what might float your boat. As long as it involves consenting adults there shouldn’t be anything considered wrong with it.

The same goes for what we write or read in our romance novels. Whether the sex is missionary and vanilla or upside-down and kinky, it’s a vital part of a relationship.

Look, I understand that “seeing” the sex in a romance book isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Thankfully, there are plenty of the “closed door” romances, as well as every heat level in between to indulge everyone’s different idea of the perfect romance.

But, to me, taking the sex out of a romance would be like taking half of the clues out of a mystery novel. Sure, at the end, the mystery is solved, but you have no idea of how it all came together.

The love scenes in my new release, Fighting for Irish, are the perfect example. Kat has lived through things no human should ever be subjected to, and it’s left her broken as an adult. But Irish helps her heal in ways that would be impossible for the reader to comprehend and appreciate if I didn’t show you their interactions “in the bedroom.” His intuition, patience, and extreme care he takes to slowly draw her out of her own nightmares. The emotions—both good and bad—combined with how they touch one another, hold gazes, kiss…everything is relevant to their character and relationship development.

If I’d hadn’t shown those scenes, the reader wouldn’t understand what drove the characters’ next actions. Or, at the very least, it would have impeded the reader’s ability to relate to them as deeply as I wanted. And if we can’t get our readers to relate to our characters on a bone-deep level and get them to root for the happy ending, then we’ve failed our readers and our characters.

And that, my friends, is why I like my books with smokin’ hot sex.

The Book

Kat MacGregor has forty-eight hours to make good on the debt her ex-boyfriend owes a crime boss. Unfortunately, the measly tips she makes waitressing are barely enough for her to live on, much less cover the twenty-thousand needed to keep her breathing. With time running out, Kat ‘s forced to accept help from the only man who’s ever made her feel fire rather than fear.

When he learns a friend’s sister is in trouble, former Boston MMA fighter Aiden “Irish” O’Brien heads to Louisiana to offer himself up as collateral to keep her safe. But to satisfy the debt, he has to do the one thing he swore hed never do again: fight. With more than just money on the line, will Irish have what it takes to not only reclaim the man he once was, but become the man he needs to be for the woman he can’t live without?

The Giveaway

Enter to win one of two digital copies of Rules of Entanglement by leaving a comment. Open until January 17, winner announced soon after. Open to all.

Fighting for Irish is on sale at $2.99 instead of $3.99 for the first 2 weeks of release. Gina is gifting a $50 GC on her FB fanpage during release too.

No purchase necessary to win, void where prohibited. The number of eligible entries determines the odds of winning. FVBR is not being compensated for this giveaway. If the winner declines to accept or fails to claim their prize within 72 hours of the announcement, they forfeit their prize(s). Prize distribution is the sole responsibility of the giveaway sponsor. Fiction Vixen Book Reviews will not be held responsible for lost or misdirected prizes or for circumstances beyond our control. More information here.

Check back later today for Angela’s review of Fighting for Irish.

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About FV Sophia

Sophia founded Fiction Vixen in 2009. She loves urban fantasy, paranormal, historical and contemporary romance. She is a wife, mom, coffee drinker, Mac addict, Kindle lover, and a bunch of other stuff too. Most importantly, she's a firm believer in Happy Ever After.

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Comments

I’d love to win a copy of Rules of Entanglement #2 Fighting For Love. I have the first book in this series and it’s great to read these all together when possible. It helps keep the story line and characters richer being immersed in the world created by the author. Thanks for the giveaway and sale of your new release of #3. Best of luck to you!!!

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We purchase our own books and review them here at Fiction Vixen. However, most books reviewed here are provided by publishers, authors or their representatives, or third party services such a NetGalley or Edelweiss. Links to retailers are most likely affiliate links earning 6-8%.

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Fiction Vixen Book Reviews is a romance and urban fantasy review blog. Sophia, Amy, Jen, Angela and Samantha make up the review team, but we're always looking for guest reviewers especially in the urban fantasy genre. If you'd like to guest review at Fiction Vixen, fill in our form here.